1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a formulation for drugs, vitamins and essential nutrients. More particularly, the present invention is directed to substantially clear aqueous formulations for fat soluble essential nutrients which remain clear when added to water or beverages for human consumption, and which permit enhanced absorption of the essential nutrients from the digestive system.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Formulations of fat soluble vitamins and essential nutrients used as nutritional supplements in human and animal health care and maintenance, are well known in the art.
To be acceptable as nutritional supplements intended for human consumption, such formulations must be reasonably palatable. In addition they must also permit, and preferably facilitate, absorption of the fat soluble vitamins or essential nutrients from the digestive system.
The simplest formulations of fat soluble essential nutrients merely contain the nutrients in an edible oil carrier medium. A disadvantage of these formulations is their low palatability, and relatively poor absorption of the nutrient in the human digestive system.
Fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, and E, and fat soluble essential nutrients and the like, such as essential fatty acids and beta carotene, have also been provided in the prior art in an aqueous carrier medium. These formulations of the prior art are, however, turbid, because they either contain water insoluble droplets of an oil phase, or micelles of too large size to permit substantial optical homogeneity.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, that a turbid, or non-homogeneous nutrional supplement is less desirable from the viewpoint of the consumer than a clear solution. Therefore, the food supplements, vitamins and related industry has been striving for a long time to create substantially clear, substantially homogeneous aqueous formulations for fat soluble vitamins and other essential nutrients. In addition, the food supplements, vitamins, and related industry has been striving for a long time to provide formulations which have improved absorption characteristics in the human digestive system. The present invention satisfies both of these long sought after goals of the prior art.